Department for Transport

Electric Vehicles

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theirdecision to alter the grant scheme for plug-in electric vehicles, announced on 18 March, on demand for electric vehicles from (1) private individuals, and (2) fleet purchasers;and what further financial encouragement they intend to provide to fleet purchasers in order tomeet the Government's targets for ending sales of petrol and diesel cars.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We signalled our intention to manage an exit from the plug-in car grant in our Road to Zero Strategy, published in 2018, and transition to support through other measures. As the market has developed, we have changed our criteria to focus the plug-in car grant on vehicles, which have the greatest impact on reducing carbon emissions. In March 2020, the Government extended the plug-in vehicle grant schemes for another three years to 2022/23. For cars, the grant rate is being reduced from £3,000 to £2,500 per car, allowing the funding to last longer and make it available to 20% more drivers, with the cap reducing from £50,000 to £35,000.  The increasing choice of new vehicles, growing demand from customers and the rapidly rising number of chargepoints, means we are today, re-focusing our vehicle grants on the more affordable zero emission vehicles – where most consumers will be looking and where taxpayers’ money will make more of a difference. Although the market is at an early stage, demand for zero emission vans increased substantially in 2020, with increased interest from commercial fleets. We expect this trend to continue as more models are brought to market and supply increases. Since the grant scheme was launched in 2012, it has since supported over 15,000 electric vans and HGVs across the UK. There are now more than 20 models eligible for the grant and this continues to increase. The Government has pledged a £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and consumers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles including £1.3 billion for charging infrastructure, £582 million for vehicle grants and up to £1 billion to help secure the transformation of the automotive sector by developing and embedding the next generation of automotive technologies in the UK. We keep our policies and grant rates under review and will monitor the market closely, to ensure the grant remains an effective incentive and good value for money for the taxpayer.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Solar Events

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans are in place to ensure that the UK is prepared for any impact resulting from a solar superstorm; and which department is responsible forthose preparations.

Lord Callanan: This Government understands that good management of risk is essential for contingency planning, increasing the likelihood that the services we rely on day-to-day are available for citizens and ensuring that we can protect people’s health and safety.The Department is the Lead Government Department for the risk of a severe space weather event. BEIS is therefore responsible for coordinating a Cross-Government work programme to ensure that appropriate preparedness and mitigation measures are in place so that impacts from severe space weather are minimised. BEIS working closely with the Met Office, Civil Contingencies Secretariat, other Government Departments, and academic partners has taken significant steps to increase the UK’s preparedness for major space weather events.The Department will publish a new space weather strategy later this year, which will set out a five-year road map for how we intend to boost resilience and build on existing UK strength and capacity in this area, to continue to increase our preparedness for a severe space weather event.

Greensill: Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) when, and (2) for what reasons, they withdrew Greensill Capital’s approval as a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme lender.

Lord Callanan: The British Business Bank is tasked with administering the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to ensure compliance with its terms. The details of its compliance activity with individual lenders is a commercially sensitive matter. While the Bank looks into Greensill’s position, it is not able to originate new lending that benefits from a Government guarantee.

Small Businesses: Mental Illness

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a recent survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Corporate Finance Network, published on 11 March, which found that one in five small business owners are struggling with mental health issues; and what steps they are taking to increase the wellbeing of small business owners.

Lord Callanan: The Government recognises the significant impact that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on both employers and employees. In order to highlight available support around mental health, the Government is signposting to resources for businesses and employers, including Mind’s website and the Mental Health at Work toolkit, through GOV.UK. We also continue to work with the Thriving at Work Leadership Council to encourage employers to sign up to the Mental Health at Work (MHAW) commitments. We also engage leading Mental Health charities and organisations to better understand issues around SME mental health, financial insecurity for small business owners and the self-employed, and we continue to explore what further support may be offered. We also know how worried people are, and we are taking many steps to protect both jobs and the long-term financial future of businesses during the current economic emergency. Throughout this crisis, our priority has been clear: to protect lives and livelihoods. We have introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of business support measures to help as many individuals and businesses as possible, which has mitigated some of the worst immediate impacts of COVID-19 on risk factors for poor mental health. This includes measures such as the small business grants, the Coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website or through their local Growth Hubs in England. The Business Support Helpline continues to support business owners with tailored advice and information, and also signposts individuals to mental health support services where appropriate. Further measures were also announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until September 2021, and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue with a fourth and a fifth grant. The Chancellor announced that a further 600,000 people, many of whom became self-employed in 2019-20, may now be able to claim direct cash grants under SEISS. The Chancellor also announced in the Budget that from 1st April one-off Restart Grants of up to £6,000 for non-essential retail and up to £18,000 for hospitality, leisure, personal care, and accommodation businesses will be available to support them to reopen as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed. Businesses and individuals can use our checker tool on GOV.UK to quickly and easily determine whether they are eligible for any further financial support at this time. We will continue to work with colleagues across Government, businesses and other organisations, to ensure the right support is available for employers and employees.

UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade Cooperation Agreement on the amount of revenue raised by UK manufacturers; and what steps they are takingin response any such impact.

Lord Callanan: The impacts on the UK economy of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and our global trade deals will not be fully understood until the new processes and procedures are fully embedded. We have secured a Trade Deal that we believe will sustain the success of the UK manufacturing sector with 100% tariff liberalisation, and modern and appropriate rules of origin. This includes Product-Specific Rules of Origin tailored to the needs of UK businesses in manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aluminium, chemicals, machinery and food and drink.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health Services: Carers

Baroness Browning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take support the mental health needs of frontline care workers in the charitable and not-for-profit sectors.

Lord Bethell: We have worked alongside the National Health Service and other organisations to provide a package of emotional, psychological and practical resources for all care workers, including those in the charitable and not-for-profit sectors. This package includes support helplines, guidance, bereavement resources and a bespoke package of support for registered managers. We have also worked with the sector to ensure that wellbeing resources and best practice advice are streamlined and easier to navigate.

Hospital Beds

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Royal College of Emergency’s Medicine’s call to (1) restore bed capacity to pre-COVID levels, and (2) provide an additional 9,429 hospital beds, as set out in their letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1 March.

Lord Bethell: We will continue to support the National Health Service in taking action to help reduce pressures on hospital bed capacity and increase patient flow through the emergency care pathway. This includes action within community services to help avoid unnecessary emergency admissions and the enhanced patient discharge arrangements which the NHS estimates has reduced long lengths of stay, increasing capacity to the equivalent of over 6,000 beds.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Hannay of Chiswick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 19 January (HL11665), what steps they are taking to ensure that the vaccine record card which will be issued to patients by the NHS will be recognised as an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.

Lord Bethell: The Government will review whether COVID-19 status certification could play a role in reopening the economy, reducing restrictions on social contact and improving safety. This will include assessing to what extent certification would be effective in reducing risk and the potential uses to enable access to settings or a relaxation of COVID-19 secure mitigations. The Government will also consider the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects of this approach and what limits, if any, should be placed on organisations using certification. It will draw on external advice to develop recommendations that take into account any social and economic impacts, and implications for disproportionately impacted groups and individuals’ privacy and security. The review will also include consideration of potential solutions for people to access their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Coronavirus: Screening

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bethell on 10 December (HL10847 and HL10848), why the information sought is not held in the format requested; whether, and if so, (1) how, and (2) where, that information is held; whether they collect any data on the operational false positive rate for polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 tests; if so, which data; what plans they have to publish those data; and what quality assurance checks they undertake on their answers to parliamentary questions.

Lord Bethell: Information regarding the assessment of false negatives is not held in the format requested due to the challenges in estimating clinical sensitivity. We do not collect data on the operational false positive rate.All Written Questions receive several stages of quality assurance to ensure that responses are accurate. All answers are drafted by subject matter experts and assured by a senior civil servant with the appropriate knowledge to certify the accuracy.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Construction

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential impacts arising from the measures proposed in the Supporting Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure consultation on those with a protected characteristic.

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to evidence that overcrowding disproportionately affects those with protected characteristics in their proposals in the Supporting Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure consultation to allow conversion of use Class E units to residential units.

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their proposals in the Supporting Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure consultation to allow conversion of use Class E units to residential on high street recovery plans.

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their proposals in the Supporting Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure consultation to allow conversion of use Class E units to residential on levels of physical activity, given that gyms, swimming pools and sports and leisure facilities are included within that Class.

Lord Greenhalgh: In developing the proposals we are taking account of any potential impacts of the proposals on people with protected characteristics. A full Impact Assessment has also been prepared which will be published shortly.

Social Rented Housing: Electrical Safety

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory five yearly electrical safety checks in the social rented sector.

Lord Greenhalgh: In the Charter for Social Housing Residents – Social Housing White Paper published on 17 November 2020, we commit to consult on measures to ensure that social housing residents are protected from harm caused by poor electrical safety.On the 9 March 2021, we announced the launch of a working group to inform the content of the consultation. The first meeting will take place on 29 March 2021, and the group will run until Summer 2021. Meetings will explore proposals to best protect social residents from electrical harm, including consideration of mandatory electrical safety checks.

Ethnic Groups: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withcommunity-based organisations about supportingBAME communities to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Greenhalgh: Government has been engaging with community-based organisations to reach, engage and communicate with those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, in particular people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Through our community champions scheme we are working with organisations, such as Strengthening Faith Institutions and Near Neighbours, that have successful track record of delivering initiatives in grass root communities to support BAME communities recover from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.These organisations work directly with communities to identify and train community champions. Government is working with them to promote relational community engagement, including up-to-date public health messages and to promote positive messages within government guidelines on how to make local activities safer. Government is also working with them to develop resilience and increase mechanisms for outreach, communication and engagement, and is developing strategic communications which trains those communities and supports BAME community organisations to sustain, scale-up and develop COVID-19 response projects and activities to recover from impact of the pandemic.

Councillors: Internet

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made(1) of the requirement for councillors to publish their home addresses on council websites, and (2) of the effect of this requirement on the safety and welfare of councillors, and female councillors in particular; and what plans they have to remove this requirement so that councillors have parity with Members of Parliament.

Lord Greenhalgh: At present, councillors are required to register their home address as part of their council’s register of interests given that planning decisions, for example, can have a substantial impact on an area in which a councillor lives. Registers of interests are typically published on council websites, but there are already provisions in section 32 of the Localism Act 2011 to allow councils to withhold sensitive interests from the public register where their disclosure could lead to violence or intimidation.The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s review of Local Government Ethical Standards noted that the sensitive interest provisions are often only used when a member has already experience intimidation or harassment, and so recommended that councillors should not be required to register their home addresses as a disclosable pecuniary interest. The Government is considering the recommendations from the CSPL’s report and we intend to publish a response in due course.

Levelling Up Fund: Cultural Heritage

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 12 March (HL Deb, col 1982), what steps theyare taking to ensure that cultural institutions are prioritised by local authorities as part of anybids made to the LevellingUp Fund; andwhat guidance they have provided to assistlocal authorities with thebidding process.

Lord Greenhalgh: The first round of the Fund will focus on three themes: smaller transport projects that make a genuine difference to local areas, town centre and high street regeneration, and support for maintaining and expanding the UK’s word-leading portfolio of cultural and heritage assets.Bidding authorities should consult a range of local stakeholders across the full geography of a place in developing their proposed investments for the Fund. Bids should demonstrate evidence for this overall local engagement as part of their strategic case through stakeholder letters or similar.Further details on how the Fund will operate were published in the prospectus at Budget – including who can bid, the types of projects eligible for funding, and the criteria for assessing proposals. Further guidance and templates for bid submissions, including package bids, will be provided to local authorities shortly after Budget.

Ministry of Justice

Marriage: Humanism

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the High Court’s judgement inHarrison v Secretary of State for Justice & others, published on 31 July 2020, what plans they have to introduce legislation to recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales.

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation in response to the Law Commission’s forthcoming review on weddings law.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Law Commission is conducting a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Commission launched its consultation on 3 September 2020 and this closed on 4 January 2021. The law on wedding ceremonies is a complex and important area of the law. The Commission considered it essential to conduct an extensive consultation with the wide range of interested groups and individuals who would be affected by reform. The Commission expects to report to Government with its recommendations in the second half of this year. The Government will decide on provision for non-religious belief marriage, on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.

Treasury

Greensill and Sanjeev Gupta

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether records at HM Treasury record or refer to any conversation since 1 January between David Cameron and ministers or senior civil servants relating to (a) Mr Lex Greensill, (b) Greensill Capital, or (c) Mr Sanjeev Gupta and his businesses; and if so, whether they will place copies of these records in the Library of the House.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior civil servants and ministers routinely meet and correspond with a range of private sector stakeholders. Transparency releases are published on a quarterly basis, and are currently publicly available for Senior Official and Ministerial meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures.

Greensill

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what record they have of (1) letters, (2) emails, (3) phone calls, (4) text messages, and (5) other communications, from former Prime Minister David Cameron to officials in (a) the Treasury, and (b) the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in connection with Greensill Capital.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior civil servants and ministers routinely meet and correspond with a range of private sector stakeholders. Transparency releases are published on a quarterly basis, and are currently publicly available for Senior Official and Ministerial meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures.

Greensill

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further the Written Answer reply byLord Agnew of Oulton on 16 March (HL13828), whether David Cameron attended any meetings with ministers or civil servants relating to Greensill Capital.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior civil servants and ministers routinely meet and correspond with a range of private sector stakeholders. Transparency releases are published on a quarterly basis, and are currently publicly available for Senior Official and Ministerial meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures.

Greensill

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Agnew of Oulton on 16 March (HL13828),whatrecords they hold of (1) correspondence, or (2) telephone conversations, between ministers and officials in (a) Her Majesty’s Treasury, (b) the Cabinet Office, or (c) the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about (i) Lex Greensill, (ii) representatives of Greensill Capital, or (iii) the Rt Hon David Cameron,on matters relating to Greensill Capital.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior civil servants and ministers routinely meet and correspond with a range of private sector stakeholders. Transparency releases are published on a quarterly basis, and are currently publicly available for Senior Official and Ministerial meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures.

Greensill and SoftBank

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) ministers, or (2) senior civil servants, have met either (a) Mr Lex Greensill, or (b) representatives of Greensill Capital or SoftBank, since 1 January; and if so, (i) who attended the meeting, and (ii) on what dates were the meetings held.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior civil servants and ministers routinely meet and correspond with a range of private sector stakeholders. Transparency releases are published on a quarterly basis, and are currently publicly available for Senior Official and Ministerial meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures.

Greensill

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the (1) Financial Conduct Authority, and (2) Prudential Regulation Authority, played in granting regulatory approval for Greensill Capital or its associates; and whether they advised BaFin in connection with the acquisition of Greensill Bank in Germany.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Greensill Capital (UK) Limited was not authorised by the FCA. It was a registered entity under the Money Laundering Regulations, which means that it was subject to FCA regulation only for compliance with Anti-Money Laundering rules, not for wider conduct issues. Greensill Capital Securities Ltd was an Appointed Representative of an FCA-regulated firm, under whose supervision it could conduct some regulated activities. However, it was not itself supervised or authorised by the FCA. Greensill Capital Securities Ltd is no longer an Appointed Representative. At no time has the Bank of England authorised or supervised Greensill Bank AG, Greensill Capital (UK) Limited or any member of their group. The UK Financial Authorities were not involved in the acquisition of Greensill Bank AG by Greensill Capital PTY in 2014.

GAM Greensill Supply Chain Finance Fund

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Young of Cookham on 24 June 2019 (HL16211), whether they received a response from the Financial Conduct Authority after it had been made aware of the Parliamentary Question regarding Greensill.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Financial Conduct Authority acknowledged notification of the Parliamentary Question regarding Greensill referenced in the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 24 June 2019 (HL16211).

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Climate Change: Population

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report by Professor Sir Partha DasguptaThe Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review, published on 2 February, what steps theywill take in response to the contribution of global population growth to climate change.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The independent Dasgupta Review explores a range of actions it argues are needed to protect the environment and our prosperity. The Government will examine the Review's findings closely, call on international partners to do the same, and will respond formally in due course. The review focuses on biodiversity, rather than climate change and carbon emissions.It is growth in levels of consumption driven by unsustainable development that influences carbon emissions, and increases climate change, rather than population growth itself.The UK supports many low income countries to plan for population growth and harness a demographic dividend, including through UK aid investments in voluntary family planning and 12 years of quality education. Effective investments in health and education can also build the adaptive capacity of communities to respond to climate change.

Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of damage caused totheAhmadiyya Mosque in Garmolavirkan, Punjab, by a police raidon 17 March; whether they have had discussions with the government of Pakistan about these reports; and if so, what response they have received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against religious communities in Pakistan, including against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.We are aware of reports that police in Pakistan damaged an Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque in Garmola Virkan, Punjab.We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, regardless of their religion or belief. Most recently, I raised the need to promote respect for all religions with Pakistan's Special Representative for Religious Harmony, Tahir Ashrafi, on 23 March 2021. I also raised our concerns on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan with the Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 20 February 2021.

China: Sanctions

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the government of the United States of America to impose sanctions on officials of the governments of China and Hong Kong whose actions they deem to have "reduced Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy"; and what plans they have to impose similar sanctions on these officials.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Hong Kong and the erosion of rights and freedoms and the high degree of autonomy enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK has already taken a number of actions in response to developments in Hong Kong. These include introducing a new bespoke immigration path for British Nationals (Overseas) (BNOs), suspending our extradition treaty with Hong Kong indefinitely, and extending our arms embargo on mainland China to Hong Kong.We will continue to consider designations under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations. It is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated under the sanctions regime in the future. We will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong as befits our historic commitment to them, to call out the violation of their rights and freedoms.We will also continue to engage and coordinate our actions with our international partners to hold China to their international obligations freely assumed under international law.

Hong Kong: Sanctions

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision of the government of the United States of America to impose sanctions on (1) 14 vice chairs of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, and (2) officials in (a) the National Security Division of the Hong Kong Police Force, (b) the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and (c) the Office for Safeguarding National Security; and what plans they have to impose sanctions on overseas financial institutions that knowingly conduct significant transactions with these individuals.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Hong Kong and the erosion of rights and freedoms and the high degree of autonomy enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK has already taken a number of actions in response to developments in Hong Kong. These include introducing a new bespoke immigration path for British Nationals (Overseas) (BNOs), suspending our extradition treaty with Hong Kong indefinitely, and extending our arms embargo on mainland China to Hong Kong.We will continue to consider designations under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations. It is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated under the sanctions regime in the future. We will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong as befits our historic commitment to them, to call out the violation of their rights and freedoms.We will also continue to engage and coordinate our actions with our international partners to hold China to their international obligations freely assumed under international law.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the UK's obligations as a depositary government of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; and what steps they take to fulfil the responsibilities of that role.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government acts in accordance with Article IX of the NPT which states: 'The Depositary Governments shall promptly inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification or of accession, the date of the entry into force of this Treaty, and the date of receipt of any requests for convening a conference or other notices.'

Trident Missiles

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of lifting the cap on the number of Trident nuclear warheads the UK can stockpile on negotiations at the next Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK will continue to work for a successful NPT Review Conference that continues to lay the groundwork and helps build the trust and confidence necessary for multilateral disarmament, as well as strengthening the non-proliferation and peaceful uses pillars of the Treaty. We will continue to play a leading role in developing nuclear disarmament verification, on which our ability to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons will depend. We will also continue to build trust and confidence amongst nuclear weapon states, and between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states.As coordinator of the P5 Process in 2019 and 2020, we pushed forward work on transparency, leading the way with our consultation exercise on the UK's national implementation report that has now been taken up by others, and securing agreement to a presentation by the nuclear weapon states of their national nuclear doctrines at the Review Conference. We look forward to continuing these discussions and picking up other important issues such as strategic risk reduction.As we approach the NPT Review Conference, we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to all pillars of the NPT, including disarmament.

Trident Missiles

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of lifting the cap on the number of Trident nuclear warheads the UK can stockpile on nuclear non-proliferation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The fundamental purpose of the UK's nuclear deterrent remains to deter other states' use of nuclear weapons. We would never encourage others to develop nuclear weapons in breach of their NPT obligations. We remain committed to multilateral disarmament and our shared long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the UK's obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) the UK is obliged to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. Maintaining and renewing elements of the UK's nuclear deterrent capability is fully consistent with this obligation.

Palestinians: Children

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to protect Palestinian children from being arbitrarily arrested by Israeli security forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children.

West Bank: Water Supply

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israelaboutreports of the (1) blocking of a road, and (2) destruction of a water line, serving two Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to engage frequently with the Israeli authorities on issues affecting Palestinians, including demolitions and restrictions on movement and access. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv has raised ongoing demolitions with the Israeli Authorities, most recently in a meeting alongside like-minded partners on 25 February. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa called on Israel to stop demolitions on 5 February 2021 and raised his concerns about the demolitions of Palestinian structures with the Israeli Ambassador on 29 October 2020. The UK has raised Israeli restrictions on freedom of movement and access into and out of the OPTs with the Israeli authorities and stressed the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank.

English Language: Education

Baroness Hooper: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to support the economic role of UK English Language Schools accredited by the British Council following the reduction in their income during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government will continue to support the UK English Language Training (ELT) sector, working closely with English UK - which manages the Accreditation UK quality assurance scheme for UK ELT centres in partnership with the British Council - and others to co-ordinate efforts to boost UK education exports. The Government also continues to support the UK ELT sector more broadly through the global 'Education is GREAT' campaign. The Chancellor confirmed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will be extended until 30 September 2021 in the 2021 Budget announced on 3 March 2021. A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, such as language schools, has also been made available.The FCDO has provided significant support to the British Council to help mitigate the financial impact of the pandemic on their operations.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British armed forcespersonnelwere recruited between 1January 2020 and 1 March 2021.

Baroness Goldie: The requested information up until 31 December 2020 can be found in the attached ‘UK Regular Forces Intake and Outflow’ tables 4 and 5a in the excel spreadsheet of the quarterly Service personnel statistics.Information for the most recent quarter, 1 January 2021 – 31 March 2021, will be published on 27 May 2021. HL14563 - Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics  (xlsx, 3891.1KB)

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they next plan to order F35B aircraft; and how many they plan to order.

Baroness Goldie: The Defence Command Paper confirms our intention to continue the growth of our F-35B Lightning Force, beyond the 48 we have already ordered. We will now undertake a period of detailed analysis to evaluate the scale and timeline for procurement of our second tranche of F-35B Lightning Aircraft, associated infrastructure, equipment and support requirements.

Type 26 Frigates: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theremarks by Baroness Goldie on 23 March (HL Deb, col 811), what meetings they have hadwith the board of BA Systems to discuss the Type 26 frigate programme.

Baroness Goldie: Ministerial colleagues and Ministry of Defence officials have regular meetings with BAE Systems board members on a range of matters, including the Type 26 Frigate programme.

COP26

UN Climate Conference 2021

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on inviting Pope Francis to COP26.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: All parties of the UNFCCC are entitled to attend a COP. We are not in a position to confirm at this stage the attendance of specific leaders, but as the Holy See is a UNFCCC observer state, His Holiness The Pope will receive an invitation.It is at the discretion of each party as to what level of representation they send.

Home Office

Domestic Abuse Bill

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional resources required to implement the provisions of the Domestic Violence Bill; and by when they expect to provide those resources.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Department is currently focused on securing the successful passage of the landmark domestic abuse bill. The bill will achieve better support and protection for victims of domestic abuse and their children and bring more perpetrators to justice.We have acquired additional resource to begin bill implementation planning. Whilst it is anticipated that further resource will be needed after Royal Assent, our final assessment on requirements will be made once debate on the bill has been completed.

Crime Prevention: Finance

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will change the focus of the current round of the Safer Streets Fund so that all applications aimed at protecting women from attack are eligible.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Recent tragic events have highlighted the importance of ensuring people are safe whilst walking our streets.We have announced we are investing a further £25m into the Safer Streets Fund this year, focused on ensuring people feel safe in public spaces and building on the £45m we have already committed. This investment will be launched in May once the Purdah period attached to local council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections has ended.The Fund will deliver physical crime prevention measures, such as improved street lighting or increased CCTV coverage. There is strong evidence to show that simple solutions like these help prevent crimes before they happen, empowering communities and individuals, including women and girls, to feel truly safe.The ongoing application process for the second, £20m round of Safer Streets Funding will remain unchanged.

Police: Recruitment

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all applicants to police forces in England undergo (1) psychological, and (2) behavioural, assessment as part of the recruitment process; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The standards, assessment and selection framework for police recruitment are managed by the College of Policing. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for local recruitment into forces and are supported by this national framework and guidance. All forces are currently using the College Online Assessment Centre as part of the recruitment process which has been designed to maintain the same high standards as set by the College of Policing. Candidates are required to pass each stage of the recruitment process and this includes the assessment centre, vetting, medical assessment and fitness. All new recruits are subject to a rigorous vetting and assessment process to assess suitability for the role of police officer, including testing against core behaviours and values. This does not currently include psychological assessment as standard and it would be for the College of Policing to assess if additional elements of assessment are required. Following national assessment, some forces may choose to run additional assessments locally to further refine the field of candidates.

Passports

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherany passport offices are still issuing the burgundy-coloured UK passports; and if so, which ones.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Her Majesty’s Passport Office ceased issuing British passports with a burgundy cover in September 2020.All new British passports are issued with a blue cover.

Cabinet Office

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to applying the freedom of goods rules in the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 to Northern Ireland in full.

Lord Frost: The UK Government is unequivocal in its commitment for unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods moving to the rest of the UK market. The UK Internal Market Act 2020 put in place significant and robust protections for this regime for the long-term, prohibiting checks and controls on qualifying Northern Ireland goods moving to Great Britain, and enabling these goods to be placed on the GB market without additional requirements.We have always recognised that there are some additional processes on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. In line with our pragmatic and proportionate approach, we have, and will, continue to give these effects in a way which takes full account of all flexibilities and discretion, maintaining the effective flow of goods on which lives and livelihoods rely.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's trade deals since the UK’s departure from the EU.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government is committed to a trade policy that secures opportunities for people in every corner of the country.Scoping Assessments are published to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential long run impacts of new Free Trade Agreements in advance of negotiations. We have already published Scoping Assessments for agreements with the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. An impact assessment for the United Kingdom-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) – the first major trade deal that the United Kingdom has struck as an independent trading nation – has also been published.That Impact Assessment shows the United Kingdom-Japan CEPA could increase British Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by £1.5 billion in the long run, compared to trading under World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Theatres: Coronavirus

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of regional and local theatres that have permanently closed since March 2020; and the number of areas that have lost their only performance venue since March 2020.

Baroness Barran: Government recognises the significant financial impact of Covid 19 on the performing arts sector and venues, and the important role theatres play in their local communities. 14% of theatres in the UK are directly operated by local authorities and many more are owned by and subsidised by local authorities. The Theatres Trust has provided details of six theatre buildings where the operator has either withdrawn from their operating contract or gone into liquidation, leaving them without an operator since the start of the pandemic. These theatres are not necessarily closed permanently as efforts are progressing to identify new operators.The Theatres Trust is aware of a small number of further closures, with more details to be published in due course. The Government is investing an unprecedented £1.57 billion, the biggest ever one-off cash injection into UK culture, to tackle the crisis facing our most loved arts organisations and heritage sites through the Culture Recovery Fund. In the first round of funding, 462 awards were made to applicants whose main artform is ‘theatre’, with a value of over £183m. The number of awards to commercial theatres was 79, with a value of over £26m. This funding benefited a range of theatre organisations, from world-renowned institutions to those crucial to their local community. The second round is in progress, and a further £300 million of support was announced by HM Treasury at Spring budget to continue to support key cultural organisations, bridge the sector as audiences begin to return, and ensure a vibrant future for the culture sector, including theatres, as the nation recovers from the pandemic.

Theatres: Coronavirus

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of councils to fund local and regional theatres as a result of COVID-19.

Baroness Barran: The funding of local theatres consists of a complex ecosystem of funding streams, and government funds remain active, so assessing the success of these interventions is challenging at this stage. In January, the Chancellor announced £4.6 billion in one-off top up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses worth up to £9,000 per property to help businesses through to the Spring. This is in addition to £1.1 billion further discretionary grant funding for Local Authorities, and Local Restriction Support Grants worth up to £3,000 a month. So far, more than £1 billion has been allocated to thousands of organisations including museums, music venues, independent cinemas, circuses, heritage sites and theatres. For reference, info on the local grants eligibility here (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-eligible-for-the-coronavirus-additional-restrictions-grant) - a copy of the webpage is attached. In addition, over £10 billion of support has also been provided through unprecedented business rate holidays. The Government is committed to supporting our world-leading cultural and entertainment sectors, demonstrated through £300m additional funding made available in the budget to support the Culture Recovery Fund, on top of the £1.57bn provided in July. Check if you're eligible for the coronavirus Addit (pdf, 79.8KB)

Swimming: Ethnic Groups

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of theBlack Swimming Association; and what steps they intend to take in response to the finding by Sport England’s Active Lives Survey, published in October 2020,that (1) 95 per cent of Black adults, (2) 80percent of Black children, (3) 95percent of Asian adults, and (4) 78per cent of Asian Children, in England do not swim.

Baroness Barran: The Government supports the efforts of groups helping to promote diversity and inclusion in sport, including the Black Swimming Association who are working to address inequalities in swimming participation levels. We are committed to these efforts, and our sport and physical activity strategy ‘Sporting Future’ has diversity and inclusion at its heart. In addition, Sport England have recently launched a new ten year strategy, “Uniting the Movement”, reinforcing their commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion in grassroots sport and physical activity, including swimming. They have invested £12.62 million in Swim England to support and promote participation in swimming, including support for people from ethnically diverse backgrounds. We welcome the recent partnership announcement between Swim England and the Black Swimming Association, to further increase numbers of participation in aquatic activity.

Rugby: Listed Events

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, about listing the Six Nations Rugby Championship as a Group A sporting event under broadcasting regulations.

Baroness Barran: The Government does not have plans to review the listed events regime at this time. We believe that the current listed events regime works well to deliver the best outcome and strikes an appropriate balance between retaining free-to-air sports events for the public while allowing rights holders to negotiate agreements in the best interests of their sport.

Gambling: Internet

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for a product licensing regime for online gambling products.

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of levels of online problem gambling.

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the support from large technology companies for tackling online problem gambling.

Baroness Barran: The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. As part of the wide scope of that Review, we have called for evidence on the case for greater controls on the design of online gambling products, including pre-release testing. We welcome steps taken by technology companies to support people who are experiencing problem gambling. This includes Google’s recently announced plans to allow its users to opt out of gambling advertising. According to the 2016 Combined Health Survey, the rate of problem gambling among those who had gambled online during the past year was 3.5%. The 2018 Health Survey for England found a problem gambling rate of 4.2% among past-year online gamblers.

Video on Demand

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe level of public concern about streaming services applying age ratings thatmay not reflect British Board of Film Classification ratings; andwhat steps they are taking to ensurethat streaming platforms apply age ratings that (1) align with establishedratings, and (2) maintain child protection.

Baroness Barran: The British Board of Film Classification’s (BBFC) age ratings are used by a number of video on demand providers and although adoption is voluntary, we welcome their use. On 1 December 2020, we were pleased to see Netflix become the first video on demand platform to achieve complete coverage of their content under the BBFC’s ratings. The UK’s Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020, which transposed the revised EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, were made and laid in Parliament on 30 September 2020. Following Parliament’s approval, the video sharing platform regime, for which Ofcom is the regulator, came into force on 1 November 2020. UK-established video sharing platforms must now take appropriate measures to protect the public, including minors, from illegal and harmful material. Under this regime, video sharing platforms are not currently mandated to adopt BBFC ratings, nor is it expected that they will be mandated to do so. However, in order to comply with the regime, age assurance measures and measures such as age ratings and parental controls, may be adopted by video sharing platforms. Age assurance measures comprise a broad range of technical measures which can be used by a service to establish the age of their users. The BBFC is engaging actively with both Ofcom and video sharing platforms to share their expertise and discuss the applicability of content ratings on those platforms. In line with the government’s commitment to keep children safe online, the government is working at pace to prepare the Online Safety Bill, which will be ready this year.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to investigate any differences reported in the application of Higher Level Stewardship extensions on common land.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We are offering extensions of one year to suitable expiring Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements, as an alternative to entry into the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, ahead of the introduction of new schemes such as Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) published the criteria used to offer HLS extensions which can be found on the GOV.UK website. We understand that some may not agree with the decision so we have included an opportunity to review decisions not to offer an extension formally. We know that the position on common land is more complex and RPA is working closely with Natural England and commoners to resolve any differences of opinion.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to provide to Higher Level Stewardship agreement holders to ensure a smooth transition to theEnvironmental Land Management Scheme.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There are a range of options being provided to help farmers continue to manage their land sustainably and prepare to take part in new schemes as they are introduced. Defra will be offering certain Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders the opportunity to extend their agreements as their existing agreements expire, if they wish to do so and meet the extension criteria. The criteria ensure that the agreements continue to deliver positive environmental outcomes and protect our Priority Habitats and SSSIs. Additionally, it is now possible for HLS agreement holders to apply for the Countryside Stewardship Capital grants offer alongside their HLS agreement, where they wish to undertake new works. Alternatively, agreement holders can apply for a new five-year Countryside Stewardship agreement if they want to make changes to their land management options. These opportunities will help to bridge the gap between current agreements and the start of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes, ensuring a continuation of both environmental benefits, and funding for agreement holders.

Ivory: Trade

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish (1) the conclusions of their consultation, and (2) any proposed changes in policy, following the call for evidence on the non-elephant ivory trade.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The summary of responses to the call for evidence on non-elephant ivory trade was published on 10 November 2020. We are currently considering this evidence and plan to consult on potential policy options later in the year.

Plastics: Seas and Oceans

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they provide to organisations which seek to reduce plastic pollution in oceans.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is committed to protecting the marine environment from all stressors and recognises the importance in involving all actors to tackle the urgent issue of plastic pollution of the ocean. The Government has funded a package of over £100 million for research and innovation to tackle the issues that arise from plastic waste. This includes £60 million of funding through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, alongside a £150m investment from industry, towards the development of smart, sustainable plastic packaging, which will aim to make the UK a world-leader in sustainable packaging for consumer products. In 2018, the UK launched the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) with its co-chair, Vanuatu, calling on Commonwealth countries to pledge action on plastic pollution. Alongside the CCOA, we have committed up to £70 million to tackle plastic pollution, which supports organisations and initiatives to tackle ocean plastic pollution globally.

Pâté De Foie Gras

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban (1) sales, and (2) imports, of foie gras.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese raises serious welfare concerns.Production is banned in the UK as it is incompatible with domestic legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it a criminal offence not to provide for an animal's welfare needs and to allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily.Now our future relationship with the European Union has been established the Government is considering the further steps it could take in relation to foie gras.

Export Health Certificates

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their decision to delay the requirement for export health certificates for Products of Animal Origin on the ability of the British Veterinary Association’s members to prevent disease incursion to the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There are no biosecurity risks from delay. The agreement reached with the EU means the UK and EU have highly similar animal and plant health measures, now the transition period has ended. Moving forward, we are committed to maintaining high biosecurity, food safety and animal welfare standards. This includes the introduction of the staged SPS controls. In advance of the implementation of the new regime of checks, we already have controls in place on high risk goods. This includes Products of Animal Origin that are subject to additional safeguard measures, and the Government remains able to take emergency safeguard action at very short notice to prohibit or restrict the importation of certain products from certain countries following an outbreak of disease or a public health issue, such as avian influenza.

Women and Equalities

Public Sector: Gender

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the judicial review proceedings brought by Fair Play for Women against the UK Statistics Authority, whether they will standardise the use of the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ by public authorities.

Baroness Berridge: Both ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are terms used in legislation. It is up to individual organisations to decide which terms to use within their documents. In doing so, they will consider the language used, and how to ensure clarity and comprehension.The Government has committed to review its approach to drafting legislation on subjects which prompt questions around language. As in the case of the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021, the most obvious area is legislation relating to pregnancy or childbirth, but there will, no doubt, be other related subjects where similar issues arise for the drafting and the review will consider those as appropriate. The review will consider the recent debates in both Houses arising from the passage of this particular Act, as well as practices adopted in other English language legislatures.